Category: News

Some of the companies that live in the innovation ecosystem of Santa Catarina Technology Association (ACATE) took part in the launch of Vertical Varejo yesterday afternoon (02/19). The initiative sponsored by Almeida Junior – the largest chain of shopping malls in the South of Brazil – aims to bring shopkeepers, startups and technology companies focused on the segment closer. The first work meeting of Vertical Varejo is already scheduled: March 19 at 9:00 am.

Almeida Junior’s Corporate Marketing Superintendent, Monique Campos – who will represent the company at Vertical Varejo – commented on the investment that retail companies have made in technology to ensure the consumer experience. According to Monique, companies must follow the trends in this transformation in the customer profile. “With this partnership, we will be able to be a benchmark, and can expand and show our expertise outside the State,” she said.

During the launch of Vertical Varejo, Carlos Zilli, Imaginarium entrepreneur and board member, commented on trends and his experience of over 30 years in the market. According to him, there are only 200 retail technology startups in Brazil and they lack this kind of partnership between companies so that projects can be boosted.

 

 

About Almeida Junior

Almeida Junior has been operating in the market for 39 years and manages six shopping malls in Santa Catarina. In 2016, the company created its own Experimental Innovation Laboratory, called AJ.LABS. The following year, it launched SHOPPromo – a new platform that works within the Almeida Junior APP – offering discounts and exclusive offers and adopting the omnichannel concept. Other initiatives have also been developed, such as the analysis of customer behavior in the virtual environment and the partnership with an online reputation management startup.

The aim is to connect retailers with technology companies and foster innovation 

The Santa Catarina Technology Association (ACATE) is launching a new vertical to bring together retailers, startups, and large technology companies focused on retail. Partnering with this initiative is Almeida Junior, the largest shopping mall company in the South of Brazil. Vertical Varejo is ACATE’s 13th business group, which aims to foster innovation through technology in different economic segments. The launch event will take place on February 19 at the ACATE – Primavera Innovation Center.

The initiative will operate in the same way as the association’s other Verticals, offering events and discussions about the sector, and already has the support of a major sponsor, Almeida Junior. For the company’s head of corporate marketing, Monique Campos, “the desire for instantaneousness and convenience, as well as changes in consumer behavior and consumption have led retailers to invest in other areas, especially technology.”

“Almeida Junior created the Experimental Innovation Center (AJ.LABS), in-house, and is now going to share experiences and encourage the technology segment to bet on new tools aimed at retail, being a sponsor of Vertical Varejo,” she adds.

 

About Vertical Varejo

The Vertical Varejo is focused on accelerating the digitalization of the sector by uniting different ends of the retail industry with technology companies. For Daniel Leipnitz, president of the Santa Catarina Technology Association, “Vertical Varejo will facilitate the identification of new retail problems that technology can solve, opening up new opportunities for companies and merchants.”

In this new economic scenario in Brazil, many companies still need to reinvent themselves in order to survive on the market. More than ever, consumers have been looking for value-added products and companies that invest in purchase experiences and efficiency in processes, and that offer the facilities of the digital universe to their customers. “Innovation is required for the sector to start growing again in the coming years, and we are sure that the Vertical Varejo will facilitate this process,” adds Leipnitz.

Christmas sales in the six ALMEIDA JUNIOR shopping malls in Santa Catarina (Neumarkt, Norte, Balneário, Garten, Continente and Nações) grew 18.8% over the same period of last year, considering the Christmas campaign period (11/27 to 12/24). The number was well above the 5.5% growth recorded by the Brazilian Association of Shopping Mall Storekeepers (Alshop) that gathers the main shopping mall retailers in Brazil.

Santa Catarina has always performed above the national retail average and presents a more consistent recovery capacity due to the positive numbers of income and employment. “This significant sales growth in our shopping malls demonstrates the improvement in the mix and the growing attractiveness of ALMEIDA JUNIOR’s six shopping malls, as well as the confidence of Santa Catarina consumers in the new cycle of economic growth in 2019,” says the CEO and founder of ALMEIDA JUNIOR, Jaimes Almeida Junior.

In fact, the State accounted for the most jobs in 2017, with a balance of almost 30,000 jobs according to CAGED. The balance of 2018 has not yet been released, but the monthly indicators show consecutive increases.

The Christmas sales of the ALMEIDA JUNIOR shopping malls surpassed even the company’s expectations, which had already been defined in a very optimistic manner. For example, the panettones form the Christmas campaign “buy and win” were over just before December 24, even with all the increase designed for the date. All 6  ALMEIDA JUNIOR shopping malls recorded double-digit growth, and the most prominent were Nações Shopping (Criciúma), Norte Shopping (Blumenau) and Garten Shopping (Joinville).